


fell in love on christmas night

by minimitchell



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Airports, Alternate Universe, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute, Strangers to Lovers, paramedic!callum, they basically fall in love in a day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:40:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28174074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minimitchell/pseuds/minimitchell
Summary: The man gives him an apologetic look at that, though Ben isn’t really sure what for; it’s not like he’s the one responsible for the snow currently coating every inch of the country.“Hey, maybe there’s a Christmas miracle for us out there and we’ll be able to get home today after all.”The soft, little smile on the guy’s face is so infectious it even makes the corners of Ben’s mouth twitch up on their own accord. The situation they’re in isn’t great but maybe it won’t be completely horrible to sit here waiting with this guy next to him.
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Comments: 24
Kudos: 96





	fell in love on christmas night

**Author's Note:**

> can i offer you some christmas fluff in these trying times?
> 
> as always, thanks for reading and please leave a kudos or a comment if you like to. <3
> 
> (tumblr: minimitchell)

There’s a slow but steady trickling of snow falling down outside the window, covering everything in a fine sheet of white. It’s covering the tarmac, the planes sitting idly at the terminals and every piece of airport equipment still out there. It almost seems like the snow has stopped time here; that it halted everything and everyone once it started coming down hours ago.

Ben reckons that’s exactly what happened.

He’s currently wandering through the gate to slump back into one of the uncomfortable, black leather chairs dotted opposite of the desk, after being told by the staff they don’t have a definite answer for when or if his plane back to London is going to leave tonight. 

He’s more than annoyed right now but he also knows no amount of arguing with the staff is going to change the situation - even though he just wants to get home at this point. He’s spent the last six hours here at the airport, watching the illuminated, blocky letters of the board say nothing but _delayed_ for hours. He’s tired from a full weekend of making deals and getting new contacts from this motor show and the only thing he wants to do right now is get home to his daughter.

But apparently, he’s all out of luck since he’s been stuck at flaming Manchester Airport with no end in sight. It’s so bad he’s even thought about taking a train down to London until he’d found out that trains also aren’t running at the time. It’s like every mode of transportation has come to a grinding halt.

If he’s not home in time for Christmas Eve though, Lola and Lexi are going to kill him.

Unfortunately for Ben, it doesn’t seem like the weather has any intention of clearing up any time soon and he falls back into one of the chairs with a deep sigh, entirely focused on typing out an update to Lola on his situation. He thinks he can actually feel her anger through the phone; she didn’t want him to go to this fair a couple of days before Christmas anyway and this just feels like it’s proving her right. He just knows she’s going to be smug about this for ages.

Instead of answering his text, his phone lights up with an incoming call, a picture of Lola and Lexi making silly faces together taking up his screen. He lets out another sigh before accepting the call, pressing the phone to his ear.

“Hey, Lo.”

“Ben, are you serious? You promised Lexi to be back here for Christmas.”

“I know, okay. But I can’t just make it stop snowing. I’ll get on the next possible flight, I promise. Tell her I love her and I’ll be there soon, yeah? I’m sorry.”

Lola reluctantly agrees, although she sounds less than happy about the circumstances right now. Ben will have some serious making up to do once he gets home, he knows that.

If he ever actually manages to get home.

“I’m afraid, that’s not gonna happen for a while, mate.”

Ben is about to give the man next to him a lecture on privacy and not butting into conversations that don’t concern him, but when he turns to face the guy he’s completely struck by the bluest eyes he’s ever looked into and a warm smile decorating nice, pink lips. The man has what looks like days worth of stubble coating his cheeks and part of his neck and his hair is gelled up and to the side, though some strands are already loose and falling onto his forehead.

Ben is positively shaken.

“Just- My brother just texted me that there’s no air travel in the whole UK with the snow so, you know.”

The guy rambles on when Ben still doesn’t say anything, only continuing to watch him with stunned amusement. There’s this instant attraction to the man on his part; something, he doesn’t feel that often anymore. It’s not lust - well, not only - but something more basic and emotional. He feels an almost gravitational pull towards the guy, itching to reach out to him for some reason he can’t quite explain.

“Oh, I guess seeing my daughter in time for Christmas Eve is out the window then.”

The man gives him an apologetic look at that, though Ben isn’t really sure what for; it’s not like he’s the one responsible for the snow currently coating every inch of the country.

“Hey, maybe there’s a Christmas miracle for us out there and we’ll be able to get home today after all.”

The soft, little smile on the guy’s face is so infectious it even makes the corners of Ben’s mouth twitch up on their own accord. The situation they’re in isn’t great but maybe it won’t be completely horrible to sit here waiting with this guy next to him.

“We can only hope. I’m Ben, by the way. Ben Mitchell.”

“Callum Highway.”

They shake hands despite the weird position that comes from sitting next to each other and Ben files the realization that Callum has very nice, smooth hands away for some other time later. He also notices that they shake hands for a moment too long, retracting his hand a little awkwardly when he does. Callum doesn’t seem to mind though; Ben can see him almost absentmindedly rubbing his fingers together, like he’s trying to savor or recreate Ben’s touch for himself.

Ben is thinking about what to talk about next to keep their conversation going because he desperately wants to, that doesn’t seem like he’s trying to fish for information or comes across as creepy to Callum, when the man in question beats him to it.

“I can’t believe it’s actually snowing on Christmas. Who would’ve thought, right? If I had known I’d be stuck here though because of it, I don’t know if I would’ve gone to this training.”

Callum is looking past Ben at the giant windows, regarding the grey clouds in the sky with a mix of wonder and trepidation. It looks like he’s ecstatic about the fact that it’s snowing, the day before Christmas Eve no less, but he’s equally annoyed at being stuck over two hundred miles away from his home.

“What do you do?”

“I’m a paramedic. They had this course up here on how to properly treat patients, who are hard of hearing that I really wanted to do, which is the reason I’m stuck here now, I guess.”

Ben is at a loss for words at that. Sadly, he knows from experience that not a lot of people who really _should_ take the time to learn how to deal with people who aren’t able-bodied actually do just that; whether it’s doctors, social workers or prison guards in his case. He really appreciates Callum going out of his way to be as inclusive as he can be with his patients. It’s not only very thoughtful of him but also incredibly endearing.

“Wow. That’s, that’s really admirable, Callum.”

“It’s important, you know. I learned some basic BSL in my training but there’s so much more to consider. I should be able to help and communicate with everyone, so I’m always trying to do courses and learn things that’ll help me with that.”

Ben isn’t sure people like Callum are actually real; it seems almost too good to be true as far as he’s concerned. He has the sneaking suspicion that Callum is actually an elf who has escaped from the North Pole and now blesses the population of London with all of his magical brightness and goodness. Surprisingly, it’s not annoying though, not in the slightest, it’s intriguing and just so, _so_ charming.

“How ‘bout you? Why are you stuck here?”

“Nothing as charitable as you, I’m afraid. I went to this trade fair for cars and stuff. I run a garage and a dealership back home.”

Ben doesn’t know why he feels almost apprehensive to admit that; like it’s somehow inferior to Callum’s occupation. He’s always prided himself on what he managed to accomplish with the car lot and the garage since taking over from his dad but compared to Callum it doesn’t feel enough somehow.

“Oh, sounds interesting. I know next to nothing about cars so what you guys do always seems like wizardry to me. You must be quite the business man.”

His voice sounds so sincere, his eyes shining with actual interest and just a hint of good-natured teasing, that it lifts some tension from Ben’s shoulders, knowing that Callum doesn’t look down on him. Then again, Callum doesn’t seem like the type of person who’d judge someone else based on something trivial like a job or their upbringing - at least as far as Ben can tell.

“Yeah, well, I did manage to snag some promising contacts. Though I doubt my daughter will care about that if I’m not there in time to see her put out milk and cookies for Santa.”

Callum’s smile dims a little, like he’s just been reminded of something he isn’t best pleased with and Ben really hopes it doesn’t have to do with him having a daughter. He doesn’t really know why, it’s not like he’s under any impression that they’re going to become anything other than two strangers waiting together at an airport until their flight finally leaves. London is big and they’ll probably never see each other again after this - and that’s assuming Callum even lives in London or around Gatwick.

So really, the thought that Callum is potentially being weird about him having a kid shouldn’t bother him. But it somehow does and he’s not exactly sure why that is.

“How old is she?”

“Eight. She’s a right gobby missus but dead smart. My whole pride and joy.”

Ben taps his phone screen to bring up his lock screen, angling it to show the picture to Callum. It’s him and Lexi from last Christmas with her dressed in her golden, glittery dress trying to put her sparkly bow on Ben’s head, toothy smile on full display. It’s one of his favorite photos of them together because it’s real and it captures their relationship with each other perfectly.

Callum’s smile softens as he looks at the phone, eyes crinkling at the corners. He looks gentle but almost a little wistful to Ben right now and he wonders what Callum’s background is like. If he has kids or a partner, if he’s straight or maybe gay as well. Ben foolishly hopes he is.

“She’s adorable.”

“If she gets her way, yeah. Don’t think her tantrum tomorrow morning when I ain’t there is going to be adorable.”

Callum gives him a little shrug, but it doesn’t look as unfazed to Ben as he thinks it’s supposed to; it looks practiced and when he speaks up next, Ben has a good idea why.

“I bet your girlfriend will come up with something.”

It almost sounds petulant to Ben’s ears, like there’s an undertone of discontent in his voice because of the fact that he thinks Ben has a girlfriend. Which is _interesting_ to say the least.

“Haven’t had a girlfriend since I discovered men were more my alley, mate.”

Ben tries to gauge Callum’s reaction to this as subtly as possible, watching him out of the corner of his eye while he processes the information. Callum’s eyes go a bit wide for a second, before his eyebrows knit together in confusion. It’s a little adorable how Ben can practically see the cogs turning in his head. He knows the reaction; he gets it every time he tells someone about Lexi that also knows he’s gay. It doesn’t fit together in their minds.

“Sorry, I just assumed because you have a daughter. But, uh, me too. I mean, I’m gay as well. If you’re gay, you could be bisexual or something else. I’m sorry, I’m rambling.”

Callum scrunches up his face in embarrassment which makes soft laughter bubble out of Ben’s mouth. It’s cute how flustered Callum gets seemingly out of nowhere, a light dusting of pink covering his cheeks and the tips of his ears. Ben has no other way to put it, he’s absolutely charmed by him.

“It’s alright. I’m gay, yeah.”

They share a small smile with each other at that. One, that looks a lot like they’ve shifted into a different mood now they’ve established they’re on even ground here; a mood more daring and flirtatious. Like their guards are completely down now. 

There aren’t many people still lingering around the gate with them, only a handful of other passengers have decided to stay here and wait, and the pseudo privacy makes Ben a little bolder, turning to face Callum fully now, one leg hooked under his body.

“What are you doing back home for Christmas then?”

Callum turns to face him as well, angling his legs so that their ankles are almost but not quite touching. It’d only take one little turn to let their legs brush against each other and the temptation is almost too much for Ben to resist.

“Oh, it’s just me, my brother and his wife, really. A quiet affair.”

“Sounds heavenly. Christmas with my family is loud, chaotic and always full of drama.”

Callum lets out a little laugh, shaking his head like he can almost envision it when he’s looking at Ben. He has the feeling that Callum has never known those types of Christmas’, where everyone is merrily shouting at each other at some point and there’s more food than they could ever eat, and for some reason he gets the desperate need to make Callum experience one, just to see the way his face would change over the course of an evening with his family.

“Sounds fun but exhausting.”

“That’s exactly my family.”

Talking to Callum seems way easier than it should be considering they haven’t known each other for more than an hour at this point. It doesn’t happen that often to Ben; to find this connection, this vibe, with someone that makes him comfortable enough to actually share things about himself with a stranger. But with Callum it feels like he doesn’t have to make an effort to keep the conversation going or try to appear more interesting than he really is.

“You want some from the vending machine?”

Callum vaguely gestures towards the no doubt horrendously overpriced vending machines along the far end of the gate, stuffed with chocolate and sweet drinks. He isn’t often one for sweets but if a cute guy is offering something, he’s not about to decline anything.

“Thanks. Coke and some snacks?”

Callum goes to stand up, his foot grazing against Ben’s calf while he does it, rooting around in his pocket for some change. There’s a pleased smile on his face, like he’s genuinely enjoying his time with Ben here and the mere thought of that makes Ben’s stomach flutter rather embarrassingly.

“Anything specific?”

“Surprise me.”

The words come out lower, _sultrier_ , than intended, the unspoken _‘like_ _you already have_ ’ hanging in the air between them. They make Callum bite the edge of his bottom lip into his mouth, gaze roaming over Ben’s face for a heavy minute before he turns. Ben watches him walk away towards the machines and while it may just be wishful thinking on Ben’s part, it does look like Callum puts a little more hip into his walk than necessary.

It feels good to be flirting with someone he has a genuine interest in again; not trying to get his way or score with some mediocre bloke in a bar. Even if this is going nowhere with Callum right now, he at least had a good time with a pretty great guy.

A great guy, who’s apparently also a literal child, because he comes back to Ben with his hands hidden behind his back. It’s something his daughter would do and for some reason that thought alone makes his heart beat a little faster; unprompted thoughts of how great Callum would get along with her entering his mind and trying their hardest to stay anchored there despite his own wishes.

“Right or left?”

Ben’s shaking his head in mock exasperation but he still points to Callum’s left side anyway, grinning when Callum offers him his hand and produces a packet of Maltesers from behind his back. He falls back into his seat next to Ben, revealing a packet of sour skittles of all things in his other palm.

“Seriously? Sour skittles?”

“What? _I_ like a bit of sour.”

It almost feels like some strange sign. Like the skittles are an analogy for him and the sour exterior you have to fight through to get to the good bits underneath and the chocolate, with it’s sweet outside but surprising nature below, stands for Callum - opposites attract and all that.

“Good thing I like sweet, then.”

He snatches the Maltesers out of Callum’s still outstretched hand, making sure to run his fingers along the smooth skin on the inside of Callum’s palm. It seems like Callum tries to close his fingers around Ben’s for a second, but he’s too slow and only barely grazes Ben’s pinky with his own. Still, the movement makes Ben’s heart lurch into his throat, because there’s no rational explanation for this other than the fact that Callum is attracted to him as well.

And Ben doesn’t really want to play it safe anymore. They only have a couple more hours at best, why hold back?

“Match made in heaven, huh. You and me. When it comes to snacks, I mean.”

He knows he’s laying it on thick now, not even trying to hide the insinuation that well anymore, but from the way Callum leans further into him it certainly is welcome. When their eyes meet again, there’s this unmistaken want in Callum’s that gives Ben the last push needed to lean forward into Callum’s space.

“Course, you do.”

Callum almost whispers the words across Ben’s face, one hand coming up to rest on Ben’s knee, slowly inching up his thigh. He’s biting his lips again and the action draws Ben’s eyes down to his mouth, basking in the familiar urge to close the gap between them and seal their lips together. He doesn’t immediately though. Instead, he’s hovering close, eyes flitting between his mouth and his eyes, waiting for Callum to do the final bit to close the distance.

It looks like Callum is about to lean in and kiss him when they’re interrupted by the speaker in the corners of the gate whirring to life, filling the little space with the tired voice of the gate clerk up ahead, informing them that flights are officially cancelled for the night and that the airline has offered to accommodate them with a hotel room until they can fly back home.

There are a few groans coming from the passengers scattered around the gate but Ben’s brain is solely focused on one thing and one thing only - the chance to have a whole night alone with Callum.

❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️

They manage to stay composed until taking a turn into the hallway of their hotel room, the faint jingle of the elevator doors closing again feeling far behind them now. The room is only a handful of doors down from their spot right now, but they only manage to take a couple of steps in that direction until Ben finds himself pressed against the cool, grey walls of the hotel hallway.

He’s still feeling a little dazed from Callum declining the receptionist’s offer for a second room, happy to know they’re on the same page with this. Not, that there was any other way to interpret the look Callum gave him after the gate agent had told them about the hotel offer. Why not take advantage of the opportunity presented to them, even if they’re probably never gonna see each other again after this.

Ben is distracted from his thoughts by Callum’s firm lips _finally_ pressing against his. He’s thought about kissing him for what feels like hours at this point and now that it’s finally happening, it’s almost overwhelming. Callum’s lips are soft against his; a harsh contrast to the stubble scratching against his skin. The juxtaposition sends something red hot down his spine and Ben can’t help but groan in response to it, Callum’s hands tightening where they’ve settled on either side of his waist.

Callum’s lips trail away from his mouth and down Ben’s jaw and neck, darting his tongue out to run over the skin above his collarbone. He presses kisses all over the taut, tanned flesh there and Ben is helpless to do anything but moan into Callum’s ears, hands coming up to tangle in his gelled hair, messing it up even more than it already is. Ben uses his grip to pull Callum’s face back up to his, sealing their mouths back together again, tongues meeting almost instantly.

One of his hands leaves its place in Callum’s brown hair to fumble around the wall next to them, hitting rough wallpaper first until he finally finds the cool wood of the doorframe. Ben blindly swipes the keycard around the general area of the lock until the soft click of it opening interrupts the sound of mouths sliding together and quiet groans filling the otherwise abandoned hallway around them.

They separate only long enough to shuffle through the door, hands still running over each other’s bodies. They eventually get one of the soft lights next to the bed turned on, the warm light now illuminating the room cascading over the tall frame of Callum’s body in front of Ben. It makes him look almost angelic; his very own early Christmas present right here for him to unwrap.

Ben half turns facing the room, throwing his carry-on somewhere off to the side of the bed, and catches a glimpse of the hotel room for the first time tonight. It’s simple enough; TV mounted to the wall, a little bathroom next to the entrance. Ben’s gaze is set on the two identical queen beds standing beside each other in the room though, both ready to be slept in separately.

“I kinda wanted to be the cliché of only having one bed.”

He sounds like he’s a mixture of sad and indignant about that circumstance and it’s solely down to the fact that this whole day has been like some sort of Christmas fantasy and this would’ve been the last thing to top it all of; the cherry on top of this mad situation.

Callum reattaches his mouth to Ben’s neck, trailing kisses up and down the patch of skin behind his right ear, breath minutely fanning out over the shell of it, causing goosebumps to break out across Ben’s skin.

“I don’t think we’re gonna need the second one.”

It sends a shiver down Ben’s spine. Not just the vibrations of Callum’s voice against his skin but also the low hum of his voice; the certainty of where this is going, the anticipation building in the pit of his stomach.

“I think you’re right.”

Ben turns back into Callum in a flash, fisting his hands into the fabric of Callum’s hoodie and pulling him backwards into the room with him. He walks until his legs hit the edge of the bed, letting himself fall back into the soft sheets and pulling Callum with him. They keep kissing when they land in the white threads of the duvet, Callum’s hands wandering over Ben’s cheeks to rest on the juncture of his neck and shoulders. Ben’s own hands run up and over the expanse of Callum’s back, leaning up to press their chests together on a gasp.

They keep kissing; keep running their hands over each other until they shift from skin to buttons and fabric. It takes them some time to get rid of the other’s clothes, to stop kissing for long enough to get what they need from their bags. But it’s alright. They have the whole night ahead of them.

❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️

There are some early sun rays shining through a gap in the curtain, perfectly falling onto Ben’s face and waking him up in the process. It makes him wrinkle his nose, trying to stretch as much as he can with the heavy arm still slung across his waist. He’s sore in the best way possible, feeling thoroughly cared for and relaxed. He feels _good_ and he knows Callum made him feel that way.

The sound of an incoming message rips him out of his thoughts about last night and he reaches for his phone, located on one of the nightstands next to the bed. He tries to stay as still as possible so as to not wake up Callum just yet but from the way Callum’s arm tightens around his waist he’s already on his way to being conscious again.

The words popping up on his phone screen make disappointment settle in his limbs, because they signal the end of their little, magical adventure here. And for some strange reason, Ben doesn’t want it to end. He likes Callum, probably a lot more than he should at this point, and if he’s being honest with himself, he doesn’t want to let him go again.

But it seems like life has a different plan.

Callum stirs, running his nose along the side of Ben’s face while he wakes up fully. There’s a ping from his phone on the nightstand next to Ben’s but before he can reach over to look at it, Ben is stretching forward to tangle their hands together, stopping Callum in his tracks.

“It’s the airline. There’s a flight leaving in about an hour.”

Their hands fall back onto the mattress, still clasped together in the sheets, Callum’s other hand running from Ben’s waist to the naked skin of his back, fingertips gliding over every edge and ripple.

“Is it bad that I don’t really feel like leaving?”

Ben is surprised at the raw honesty in Callum’s voice; more open and braver than Ben ever could be right now. It feels good though to know that they’re both feeling this way already, that Callum seems to be in this just as deep as Ben is at this point. The feeling taking over his body at the thought makes him brave enough to look up into Callum’s eyes, watching for a moment as the sunlight creates shadows on his face from his long lashes.

When their eyes eventually meet, Ben is struck with the desperate need to be honest with Callum as well; to let him in just that little bit more, even if it’s only for now.

“Yeah, me either.”

It feels like they’re having a whole conversation with just their eyes on each other for a moment there. A conversation, Ben isn’t really sure he understands but desperately tries to. He thinks they’re saying how much they’re going to miss each other once they have to part, or maybe they’re just appreciating the time they got to have with the other. Either way, it doesn’t make the thought of this inevitable goodbye any easier.

When the feeling of it all becomes a little too raw for Ben to handle, he leans forward to capture Callum’s mouth, biting at his bottom lip before smoothing the sting with his tongue. Callum lets out a little moan in response, using the hold he has on Ben’s back to roll them over so he’s now covering Ben’s body with his.

They’re connected everywhere right now, skin pressed against skin and intertwined hands pushed into the pillow next to Ben’s head, all while their mouths stay in a constant slide against the other. Callum runs his nose along Ben’s when they eventually part, pressing one more peck against his still pursed lips.

“Hi.”

“Hey.”

Ben runs his free hand over Callum’s shoulder and down his chest until he finds purchase on the skin around his hips, using it to pull him back into him. Their mouths find each other again, tongues meeting in an unhurried slide.

When he leans back, there’s a glint in Ben’s eyes and he squeezes the hand situated on Callum’s hip tightly, trying to leave another mark on Callum’s skin that will make him remember Ben for days to come. He doesn’t want to let him go just yet and he doesn’t want to miss the skin on skin contact they’ve had for hours now, because it makes him feel calmer and more cherished that he can remember feeling recently.

“You know, we still have some time before we have to leave. You wanna join me in the shower?”

Ben bites his lip to keep the huge smile threatening to bloom on his face hidden, but he only partly manages it, too pleased with the way Callum’s eyes glaze over at the invitation. It’s what ultimately makes him untangle their fingers, instead using them to tug Ben with him when he leans backwards, ready to get out of bed.

“Come on then.”

Their laughter mingles together while they make their way towards the bathroom, stopping to press each other against the doorframe to exchange another heated kiss.

They barely make it back to the airport in time for take off.

❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️

Ben spends most of the flight tucked into Callum’s side napping, catching up on sleep they didn’t let each other have last night. Their hands stay tangled together on Callum’s thigh throughout the journey and if anyone on their flight would take just one look at them, they’d probably think they’ve been together for ages.

The last thing Ben is conscious of, is Callum pressing a shy, little kiss to the crown of his head, safely placed against Callum’s shoulder, right before he fully succumbs to sleep.

They stay close to each other until they step out of the terminal and into the chill December air. It’s where their journey has to end now, Ben realizes with a start - next to the taxi rank at Gatwick airport. He can’t help but feel resentment in his chest at this place right now, subconsciously blaming it for taking Callum away from him again. There’s no rationality in him anymore, he’s just fueled by blinding disappointment.

Callum turns to face him with a solemn look on his face, like he’s also just come to the conclusion that this is where their ways must part.

“I really hate goodbyes.”

He reaches out to grasp one of Ben’s hands in his, thumb brushing over every knuckle piece by piece; like he wants to commit the feeling of their hands in each other to memory before it’s gone forever. It’s probably the same reason why Ben can’t stop looking at his face, his eyes, his mouth. He wants to be able to lie in bed at night and recount every little detail of Callum to appease his longing heart, because he just knows that it’ll call out for Callum for a long time after this.

“Then let’s not make it one. Let’s just thank each other for these mad couple of hours.”

It makes a small smile take over Callum’s face. The almost shy one, where his head faces the ground on instinct, dimples only barely visible. Ben is going to miss that smile.

“No one I’d rather be stuck at an airport with.”

“Yeah.”

Ben knows he should let go and let Callum make his way to where his brother is going to pick him up, he himself should probably check his messages to see if Jay is already here, but he just can’t seem to bring himself to say goodbye.

But there’s no way around this in the end; it’s going to hurt either way.

Ben takes one more step forward, closing the distance between them and bringing their faces together one last time. He doesn’t hesitate before he presses their lips together, not forcefully or heated in any way, only a soft press of lips against each other - one last remnant of their time together.

He doesn’t try to make it a breathtaking kiss that Callum will never forget in his life, even though a part of him desperately wants this to be one of those unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, he just wants one last taste of the amazing man he got to meet.

He stays close when they part, foreheads pressed against the other.

“Bye, Callum.”

“Bye. Have a great Christmas.”

“You too.”

Ben takes one more deep breath before he turns around and starts walking, not daring to take another glance backwards. He should count himself lucky really, that he got to meet someone who makes saying goodbye to so hard even after only half a day together, but instead his chest is filled with a weight he has almost entirely forgotten about.

His bag feels heavier than it used to be the days before and every step feels like walking through mud; an invisible force not only holding him back but pulling him backwards, back to Callum. His mind is racing ahead with every step he takes that leads him further and further away from him. He sees himself spending the days after Christmas alone and miserable, finding some stranger to ultimately ring in the new year with and drinking way too much to forget about the way Callum’s skin felt against his own.

It all feels wrong and emptier than before all this without Callum there. He just wants to take him on a date between the holidays, wants to kiss him when the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve and he wants to spend the first day of the new year with him. And maybe every single holiday after that.

It takes him a second to locate Callum among the few other people in the distance, when he ultimately turns back around. He hasn’t gone too far though, thankfully, so Ben only has to shift into a light jog to catch up with him again after a few meters.

“Callum!”

Callum’s face when he abruptly stops and turns around to face Ben is nothing short of hopeful and for a second Ben is overcome with the panic that he was about to let him go forever. It’s replaced by his own feelings of hope though. Hope that Callum will say yes to what he’s about to ask him. Hope that their story may not be over yet. Hope for his own personal Christmas miracle - bigger and better than a flight back home after a snowstorm.

“Listen, I know this is mad, but do you wanna go out with me some time this week? I kinda don’t wanna let you go like this.”

For a second, there’s the overwhelming fear of being rejected by Callum, but it soon dissipates when his face morphs into the biggest grin Callum’s given him these past few hours, making whole galaxies explode inside Ben’s chest. At least, that’s what it feels like with the way his heart picks up speed instantly, his own mouth turning into a shy grin.

Callum doesn’t answer immediately. Instead, he’s stepping forward again, bag falling from his shoulder to his feet, hands rising to perfectly frame Ben’s head. Everything about them fits together perfectly and that alone is enough to tell Ben that meeting Callum must’ve been some type of fate; some sort of wonder he probably doesn’t deserve but is thankful for anyway.

“Yes, please.”

He whispers the words against Ben’s lips, his breath hitting him just seconds before his lips do. It feels different to all the kisses they’ve already shared with each other; it feels like the start of something more. Something Ben wasn’t even looking for but found anyway and now he’s desperate to hold on to it and not let it go ever again.

It’s why he’s twisting the fabric of Callum’s hoodie in his fists while slipping his tongue into Callum’s mouth, holding on for dear life. It’s like the perfect finale for one of those cliché Christmas movies - the only thing missing are the applauding on-lookers but Ben is thankful that the few other people there pay them no mind right now. He thinks it’s kind of fitting though; a perfect movie ending for a perfect movie meeting.

Ben can’t wait to text Callum as soon as they’re both at home, to send him pictures of himself and Lexi decked out in Christmas gear and ugly jumpers and eventually take him out to a nice dinner, even though it’ll kill him to wait until after Christmas to do this. Callum is worth it though, Ben is completely and utterly sure of that.

It’s the last Christmas they spend apart.


End file.
